Montana BCBS Responds to Trump Health Insurance Executive Order

Reacting to President Donald Trump’s Executive Order today, October 12, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana spokesman John Doran says BCBS is urging Montana Insurance Commissioner Matt Rosendale to extend state oversight over the new plans coming to the marketplace.

"The uncertainty continues today," Doran said. "Any efforts to expand across state lines must insure continued state regulatory oversight to ensure that we have a level playing field for all insurers. Most importantly, we want to make sure that we have regulatory oversight in Montana to protect consumers from fraud, confusion and insolvency."

Doran says BCBS is concerned that lower-priced plans could siphon too many people out of ACA-compliance plans, causing prices to rise for those who stay on the Affordable Care Act system.

"It has real potential to increase costs for consumers with pre-existing conditions and what we expect to see if that does happen is that you would have one unregulated product and one regulated product in the same marketplace and that has the potential to undermine the ACA's individual marketplace.

Doran says it is too early for Blue Cross Blue Shield to disclose whether or not they too will be involved in bringing any new health insurance products to Montana.